Study: Winds Can Trigger Migraines

THURSDAY, Feb. 3 (HealthSCOUT) -- What causes migraines?
The answer could be blowin' in the wind, researchers say.

While many migraine sufferers believe changes in weather
can trigger migraines, scientists until now had very little evidence
to support their experiences. Comparing headache diaries of 75 migraine
sufferers with daily weather records in Alberta, Canada, researchers
found that a Chinook, a warm Rocky Mountain wind, can trigger the
syndrome.

"It's always nice to validate what patients are saying,"
says Dr. Werner Becker, a professor in the department of clinical
neurosciences at the University of Calgary, in Alberta. "The more
we learn about what can trigger a migraine headache, the more likely
it is that we can find out what causes the disease."

Migraines are caused when blood vessels in the brain
expand and press against nerves. Unlike a headache, a migraine may
have many symptoms: nausea, vomiting; auras (light spots), sensitivity
to light and sound, numbness and difficulty in speech. Migraines are
known for their severe pain and can last for days or weeks. Twenty-three
million Americans suffer from the disorder, says the National Migraine
Association.

Chinooks are perfect for testing if weather affects
migraines, Becker says. "They cause a profound weather change and
start at the same time each year." Chinook winds rush over the Rocky
Mountains and sweep across Alberta from fall to spring. Known as "the
snow eater," the warm wind can make a bitterly cold winter day spring-like.
Considered a welcome respite from the long Canadian winters, Chinook
winds also can be strong, reaching 100 mph.

Tracking triggers

Becker and his colleagues classified each day over two
years as pre-Chinook (when such a wind is forecast), Chinook or non-Chinook
days. The 75 patients, ages 16 to 65, kept a daily record of their headaches,
including the severity, and the time of day it occurred. Becker found
that 32 patients were more likely to have migraines during a Chinook.

The researchers didn't disclose to the volunteers that
they were researching weather conditions.

Looking more closely, researchers found that 17 of the
32 patients suffered migraines on pre-Chinook days. On days when the
Chinooks blew more than 24 mph, 15 had a tendency to get migraines.
Only two patients were more likely to get migraines under both weather
conditions.

"This indicates that the two weather conditions trigger
migraines differently," Becker explains. "How Chinooks trigger a migraine
is still not known."

The findings were published in the Jan. 25 edition of
the journal Neurology.

Becker's research "helps confirm something that has been
postulated for 30 years," says Michael John Coleman, executive director
of the National Migraine Association in Washington, D.C. "It's important
to note the biggest part of migraine treatment is tracing down triggers
and figuring out ways to manage them."

Weather is only one of several migraine triggers, Coleman
and Becker say. "Most migraine patients have up to six triggers," Becker
says. "One of the things our study may do is help patients take better
care of themselves if the weather shows a Chinook coming. Avoiding red
wine or certain foods on pre-Chinook days could add up and help to prevent
a headache."

Becker speculates that patients could also take drugs
like naproxen a day before a Chinook arrives. "That could prevent a
migraine or at least make it less severe," he says.

"You can't control the weather, so it is particularly
important to know which triggers can bring on your migraine. If you
know your triggers, you are going to manage your treatment much more
proficiently," Coleman says.